AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 1 Auburn equestrian team returns to action following the holiday break this weekend, hosting a pair of opponents in Minnesota Crookston and No. 9 UT Martin at the Auburn University Equestrian Center.
“It’s going to be a beautiful weekend, and we are looking forward to being home,” head coach Jessica Braswell said. “We get to be home three out of the next four weeks and we are excited to get some competition under out belts in front of our fans.”
The Tigers (6-1, 2-1 SEC) open the weekend with a 3 p.m. CT contest vs. Minnesota Crookston on Friday, February 8. Auburn follows with an 11 a.m. CT meet vs. UT Martin on Saturday, February 9.
“We’re excited to have Minnesota Crookston come in Friday and compete,” Braswell said. “We’ve already played UT Martin this year and we expect them to come in and be ready to go against us.
“We hope to use some new faces this weekend and to get back into a consistent rhythm,” Braswell added. “When we’re consistent, we’re really hard to be beat so this will be a great weekend to get back into season and really kick things off for the spring.”
SPECTATOR INFORMATION
It’ll be a fun weekend at the Auburn University Equestrian Center for fans. As always, admission is free!
Friday is the team’s Horse Appreciation Day and there will be horse trading cards handed out while supplies last. And then on Saturday, it’s Snoop Dogg Day! Come out and see what’s crackalackin’ and get your own pair of Auburn equestrian sunglasses.
As always, the Kid’s Zone will be open and will include pony rides and a bouncy house.
For more information on the Auburn University Equestrian Center, please visit HERE.
AUBURN LINEUP
Two meets means there will be two lineups this week for the Tigers.
The Jumping Seat side of competition will see two different lineups between Friday’s meet and Saturday’s contest.
On Friday, senior All-Americans Mary-Grace Segars and Sophee Steckbeck will compete both Fences and Flat for the Tigers. Freshman Sadie Berkhout and Kate Hagerty will also go in both events.
Sophomore Molly Segars is set to compete in Fences vs. Minnesota Crookston, while freshman Kate Parker earned a starting spot on the Flat for the squad.
Saturday’s contest will see the elder Segars and Steckbeck in both Fences and Flat lineups once again and they pair will be joined by All-American fifth year Ellie Ferrigno and experienced sophomore Avery Glynn in both events.
Hagerty is set to ride in Fences for the Tigers vs. UT Martin and freshman Ariana Marnell will go on the Flat.
The Western corps will remain mostly the same for both meets with one fifth year, three juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen competing.
Junior All-American Alexia Tordoff will compete in both Horsemanship and Reining each day for Auburn. Joining her in Horsemanship against both opponents will be classmate and All-American Caroline Fredenburg and sophomores Callie Hogg, Brooke Jolstad and Sydney Swallom.
In addition to Tordoff, the Reining corps will be led by fifth year Olivia Marino and junior Caroline Buchanan. Freshman Michelle Fumagalli will also go both days, while Hogg is set to compete Friday and freshman Catie Reachard will go Saturday.
AUBURN – MINNESOTA CROOKSTON SERIES
Friday’s meeting between the Tigers and the Golden Eagles will be the first in program history.
Minnesota Crookston is led by Auburn graduate Haley Pembroke. She became head coach of the program in the fall of 2023 after spending a season as the assistant for the team.
Pembroke graduated from Auburn in the spring of 2020. She was a part of two national championships and two SEC championships with the team as well as two undefeated seasons. In addition, Pembroke was an NCAA Woman of the Year nominee, a Leah Rawls Atkins Award winner, the NCAA Women’s Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship winner and the recipient of the SEC Brad Davis Community Service Postgraduate Scholarship.
AUBURN – UT MARTIN SERIES
Auburn holds the all-time series against UT Martin at 19-0.
The last time the two teams met was in the fall with Auburn traveling up to Martin, Tennessee. The Tigers topped the Skyhawks, 14-6, and senior Sophee Steckbeck was awarded MOP in Fences with junior Alexia Tordoff taking it in Horsemanship.
UP NEXT
Auburn stays on the Plains and welcomes SEC rival South Carolina to the Auburn University Equestrian Center. The Tigers and the Gamecocks will face off at 11 a.m. CT on February 15.
No. 1 Auburn hosts Minnesota Crookston, No. 9 UT Martin
The No. 1 Auburn equestrian team returns to action following the holiday break this weekend, hosting a pair of opponents in Minnesota Crookston and No. 9 UT Martin at the Auburn University Equestrian Center.
